Egyptologists say they have discovered a previously unknown tomb in the famous “Valley of the Kings.” They believe the tomb may belong to the mysterious wife of King Tutankhamen who’s resting place has been the subject of speculation for many years. Archaeologist Zahi Hawass told LiveScience that the newly discovered tomb is located near the tomb of the Pharaoh Ay. He said his team is working on an excavation plan for the newly-discovered tomb.
Hawass told LiveScience, via email, “We are sure there is a tomb there, but we do not know for sure to whom it belongs.” Hawass, the former head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, says that the tomb may belong to Ankhesenamun, half-sister and wife of Tutankhamen. She lived in the 14th century B.C. And was married to Ay after Tutankhamen’s death, so it is very possible her tomb may be located near Tut’s successor, according to Hawass.
Dr. Hawass cited the discovery of “four foundation deposits” as evidence of the tomb. Foundation deposits, are holes filled with votive objects such as pottery vessels and food remains. King Tutankhamun continues to be a source of fascination for historians. The possibility that the boy king’s tomb contains hidden chambers has prompted searches for the secret rooms, but remains a contentious topic for archaeologists. For instance, British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves put forward the theory in 2015, that Tutankhamen’s tomb contains two hidden doorways.
Reeves said, the “ghosts” of the hitherto unrecognized doorways could lead to an unexplored western storage chamber and Queen Nefertiti’s final resting place behind the chamber’s northern wall. Mystery surrounds the remains of the famous Queen Nefertiti, who was one of the wives of Tutankhamen’s father, the Pharaoh Akhenaten. Scans of the tomb in 2015 suggested Tutankhamen’s tomb contains two open spaces. But when a radar scan organized by National Geographic last year of the tomb was conducted, It failed to replicate the earlier results.
Meanwhile many archaeologists believe the mummy of Nefertiti, fabled for her beauty, has already been found in another tomb. As for Tut’s tomb, Dr. Hawass has rejected the theory that undiscovered chambers lie behind the tomb and likely contain the tomb of Queen Nefertiti.
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